The Humour Issue

When you see something as outlandish and charming as a human laughing—the amused kind of laughing, not the derisive kind—you sense there's something divine in it. What is that "something," exactly? What’s the nature of the connection between the spasmodic, wheezing reflex of laughter and the one who designed it? What makes some Comedy Divine?

Those are the queries of the day in this idiosyncratic issue of the Regent World. Through stories, jokes, puns (so many puns—forgive us), theologizing, and even some good old-fashioned exegesis, let’s head to the abundant but oft-neglected region where God meets comedy!

Featured Content

Seven Scholars Share Their Favourite Moment of Biblical Humour

Find out why N.T. Wright, Mariam Kovalishyn, and George Guthrie are chuckling while they parse those Greek and Hebrew verbs. more

Leading Ideas

GK Chesterton on the Fool as Saviour of the Modern Soul

Matthew Eames shows that holy foolery wasn’t just a theological theme for the great British Catholic; he reveled in becoming the fool. more

Leading Ideas

Ruth: Rom-Com, Sit-Com, or Divine-Com?

Digging with Drew Lewis into the Hebrew in the book of Ruth, we see there are moments it would be irreverent not to laugh. more

Profile

Good Medicine

"An Elder once told me that we grieve in two ways. We cry and we laugh.” Cheryl Bear, from Nadleh Whut’en First Nation, shows us through story the character and purpose of humour in her culture. more

Profile

The Thoroughbred and The Donkey

With foot shoved deeply in mouth in front of one of Regent’s most beloved and esteemed personages, Ali Cumming valiantly refuses to take it out. more

Profile

Bare Witness

A young Ed Smith feels burdened to evangelize an especially coarse member of his roofing crew. As the Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey duet, "When You Believe," comes on the radio, it presents the perfect opportunity. more

Arts & Theology

The Theological Comedy Awards

Contestants include the Feast of Fools, the Lady Pope Hoax, Thomas Aquinas’s joke article, Martin Luther’s elaborate prank, and many more. Find out who takes home the trophies. more

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